The loss of a beloved

So, It was my birthday today (Well, technically yesterday now as it is 1:30 in the am as I write this)...The big 31. Yippie. I spent my birthday at a wedding. It was a beautiful wedding and I had a good time even though I was mistaken for someone's mother, Do I really look old enough to have a 12 year old kid? Maybe it was the clothes, or maybe it was my hair, I don't know, I do know that I feel like I am starting to wonder who that woman is that stares at me from the other side of the mirror. What happened to being 18 and cute? When was it decided that it was time that I grow up? I'm starting a cycle of re evaluation in my life and I am coming to the realization that if I am going to accomplish that bucket list of things I want to do, I better get busy and do them while I still can!
Aging aside, I have had, as per the trend, another shitty birthday week.

My little kitty Jack Boots died two days before my birthday. He was my best friend, I had grown accustomed to him sleeping on my bed and it's so hard to fall asleep without hearing his little purrs. He came to us such a short time ago for my attachment to him to have been as intense as it is, but that little kitty has helped me through some really rough patches this past winter.
Last Samhain, some cruel horrible person threw him out of their car into our yard and I took him in, nurtured him back to health and grew extremely attached to him. I had never had an animal that was so obviously my pet before Jack. He followed me everywhere I went, slept on my bed, and curled up on my lap while I did homework. He even tried to help me paint. We watched TV and movies together, and I used to leave the front door open and laugh at him as he ran from the kitchen counter through the house and out the door to the top of the Dogwood tree in the front yard, then back to the kitchen. He used to make these cute little half mew half purr sounds when he ate, and he liked to steal my jewelry and make hidden stashes of 'treasure'.
I will miss him more than anyone could possibly understand.

R.I.P. Jack Boots, You left your pawprints on my heart and forever they remain.

Well, That's about all I have for tonight...I'm off to dream of finding the fountain of youth! LOL